Motor vehicle construction



3 Sheets-Sheet l May 12, 1931*. A. cfHAMlLToN I MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug, 25, 1926 m m w May 12, 1931.

A. c. HAMILTON MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2s, 192e s sheets-sheet 2 A. c. HAMILTON 1,804,687

Filed Aug. 25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 12, 1931.

MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION intox um;

Patented May 1.2, 1931 .Arr-NT oFF-licei .ALEXANDER c. nai/nin."on;` or ynnfrnoir, Mronrenn, Ass1e-Non,-BY-Mnsnn laseren- MnNrrs, rronnLAYMofron rnonocirsfoonronarren, or Bmnenronn. coNNEcrroUr,

A CORPORATION or DELAWARE lMoron ynn'rcLn cons'rnocrroiv Application 'filed Augusta 23, 1.928. Serial-No. 130,829,

My invention relates to improvements ,in driving meehanisrniformotor vehicleswhere- `in the v.weight ofT the vehicle together with its ploadmay be 1utilized to assist thev forward 5 and;rearw.ardrotaton of the driving wheels in-v addition to thev torque delivered "to `them fremthesource ofmetive power.

My invention more specificallyoeals with mounting the` load kcarrying membervr around "10. the wheel drive shafts, which .areconcentric 'to the driving wheel centers, the wheels-run `ning'on Abearings mounteddirectly on the vload carrying member with `the Iwheeldrive vshafts passing.throi igh .the load carrying Y member and operativelyattached to the outer yend` ofi the .wheel hub in the vsame l fashion as .the Awell known type yof full floating4 axle,

.with all of its welllnown. iattribut-es such as.

removing lwheel l:driving ,shafts withouty removing thewheels,i permitting the. moving or towing ofI thevehiele in the event of a brolien r,drive .shaft or drive gear, The wheel drive shafts terminate a shortdistancegeither side of the vehicle center wherethey enter thehubs .25 of large spalr gears, which. niesln ,with driving f pinions, which in turn receive. their. .driving torque from a conventionaldifferential. The center of the vdifferential.shaft.. (which is coincident with that ofthe. drivingv pinions) Af is f normally directly below the :aXisofthe driving*l wheels. .Directly in; linewith .this differential laxisand carried from; the load. carrying ymember are hingevvlpins uponwhich..are mounted swingable; spring seats that yarchf up overthe driving member providing. attachg ment for conventional, leaf springs. .supporting the-frameand its iload..y Theswingable .spring seatsand the 'dierentialand driving pinions mounted onthe same center combine 1 S40 1 toE function ina manner to be described later.

Inmy inventioml have providedfor all clearances necessary te vpermit each.element to perform its proper function, and atthe same l.time have .adequately .housed .all working .15 parts to retain lubrication and prevent,the

entrance offoreign matter.

With-fthe. above and otlierobjects inview,

my invention. consists inthe arrangement,

combination rand construction .of thevarious .::.5.0 elements of my improved fdevice asdescribed Y.

in the specification, claimed in myiclai'lns and shown in .the accompanying drawings, in

which.: K.

. Fig. .lis a rearelevation,fpartlyjinsection,

0I" .the entire wleconstrueten. licludngthe wheels anditires. l l

Fg- 2iS a Section .taken-.Online 0f Figi l.

" Fig. -3 .is asection taken on;line,"33vof Eig-l. l

- n a l u i i l VFig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe rearportion of the vehicle chassis withxthe near wheel which are insertedthelspokeslQ held in, 'Alafce by the spoke flange 16 and tlie.---.p orkef-A lolts A17. Onthe ends of the spokes 12ia're mounted the felloes 13 which` carry the rimsullupon which yare mounted the tires 15. lhis `afhub capheldinplaee bythe spolegboltsfl'?. E19 and 2O are antifriction bearings .between the wheel hub ll and theload carrying vshell-24 75 which is rigidly attached to theload carrying housing 25.v -Thewheel driveshaft23`passes through the shell 24 and is rigidlyr atithfl totheflange 2,1 by; means of splines-lorjp-keys (not-shown) and the nut V22. AThe ilangel in turn is bolted to the end of.r the wheel hub ,11, by means of 'the driving bolts..32.

- v.The brakev drum 30fis attached tothe spokes 12 bythe boltsl. The brake bands or sh0es'33 aref anchored tov the load carrying lever 35. The brackets 26 and@ 27 .are integral with the; load carrying member25 and in them is securely fastened-the hinge p in29. Gnthe hinge `pin 29 yis swung the springseat 28 whicharches up overthe loadcarrying member 25. v`Above the memberz25zthe leaf spring 57,V is securely fastened. yto. the spring seat `28.V This spring seat. y28; iszloeatedf laterally by the brackets j26. yand 27 and is `so oo n- 95 l stfructeldvv that` the.l Opening, in itl-around! the i f load carrying-member y, 25 will permit V.considerable vlatitude `of swinging 4motion Ywhenin operation. p

WhereY the load .oarryingfmemberfZaptheflange 36 by means of a series of bolts 55l and makes an oil tight enclosure therewith. The' wheel drive shaft 23 is splined in the hub of the gear in such a manner that the shaft 23 can be removed laterally by taking off the hub cap 18 and removing the driving .bolts 32, without disturbing the location of the gear 40. y Inthe lower portions of the flange 36 and the casing 37 are mounted the antifriction bearings 41 and 42 which support the hub ends of the driving pinion 43 which in turn `meshes with the driving gear 40.

" Tlie'construction is duplicated on the two ends of the axle. It will be noted, however,

that the casing 37 extends across and ties the two load carrying members 25 together, and

that the casing 37 is bridged and open in its central portion to admit the differential carrying casing made up of the parts 46 and 47 as particularly shown in Fig. 3. The opening in the Casing 37 is made sufficiently large to clear the casing 46-47 in its extreme position. The casing parts 46 and 47 are bolted together securely by a. series of bolts 56 and Avso at the extreme ends are enclosed by the trunmon rings 48 which in turn are bolted against vthe inner walls of the casing 37 by bolts 49,

the clearances being such that the casing 46-47 is definitely located laterally, but free to rotate with respect to the trunnion rings 48 which in turn are exactly concentric with the bearings 41 and 42 that support the gear 43 as well as concentric with the spring seat hinge pins 29.

Within the casing 47 is mounted the antifriction bearing 51 and within the casing 46 is mounted the antfriction bearing 52, and the bearings 51 and 52 in turn mutually support the differential body 50. Within the differential body isa conventional differential-gear train (not'shown) extending from which are the two shafts 44 and 45 which in vturn are splined into the driving pinions 43.

On the differential body 50 is mounted the bevel gear 53 which receives its rotative motion from the source of power through the shaft 58 and bevel pinion 54.` The shaft 58 is carried in the antifriction bearings 59 and 60 Vwhichin turn are mounted in the'sleeve 61, and sleeve 61 is carried in the forward extending portion 62 of the'casing 46. A propeller `shaft (not shown) extends forward from the shaft 58 within thehousing 63 and rcouples the shaft 58 to the lsource of motive` power through a universal joint (not shown) Awithin the socket housing 64 on the rear of road surface as met by the road wheel oifering resistance to the free passage of the road wheel and requiring some elevation of the entire vehicle to pass over it. When such an obstruction as 70 is met, and the motive power is applied to the shaft 59, the power transmitted through the bevel gears 54 and 53, thence to and through the differential 50 to the shafts 44 and 45,`causes the pinions 43 to start to climb up around the gears 40 carrying with them the casings 37 and 36 and rotating them and the load carrying member 25 about the axis of the wheels and the wheel drive shafts 23. This rotation of the member 25 causes the center of the hinge pin 29 to describe a circular path about the axis of the Wheel and carry the spring seat 28 with it, forward and upward as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. This upward motion of the spring seat 28 and springs 57 lifts the frame 58 upwardly, and the forward thrust of the propeller shaft housingA 63 against the socket 64 on the transmission 65 which in turn is fastened to the frame 68, causes the frame to move forwardly. The rotative motion of the'housing 46-47 relative to the casing 36-37 is accommodated by the rotation of the housing 46-47 within the trunnion rings 48, andthe housings 36-37 rotate with the load carrying member 25 within the wheel bearings 19 and 20.

It will be evident that the lifting of the springs and hence the vehicle frame when meeting an obstruction or wheel resistance, causes the weight above the springs to exert a downward pressure (due to the force of gravity) on the pinions 43 and assistthem in forcing the forward rotation of the gears 40, in addition to the rotative force of the pinions 43 derived from the source of power. This combination of forces accumulates until `the road resistance is overcome and the wheel climbs up over the obstruction, whereupon the structure settles down to its normal position as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 2 and where the centers of the pins 29, and the shafts 44 and 45 are directly under the axis ofthe wheels. It should be quite evident that the vehicle weight and load assist the source of power in moving the vehicle forward, and the same forces reversed assist the vehicle when moving in a reverse direction.k y

In normal action, the moment a slight additional resistance to the rolling of the wheels occurs, they slow up or momentarily stop, and then the climbing effect takes place to assist the forward or rearward motion of the vehicle, very much like a tread mill or squirrel cage.

It will be apparent now that I have devised a novel and useful construction in a very simple combination. Obviously, changes in detail may be made by one skilled in the art without depart-ing from the theory and spirit of my invention, and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form or arrangements of these elements.

What I claim is:

l. In a driving mechanism for a motor vehicle, in combination, a pair ofaligned housing members connected together at their adjacentfends by a member bridging said ends, an axle shaft rotatably carried by each of said housings, said shafts being relatively widely spaced from each other at their adjacent ends, a wheel connected to the outer end of each of said shafts, a gear secured tothe inner end of each of said shafts, a pair of aligned shafts rotatably supported eccentrically of and normally below said axle shafts, gears on the ends of the last mentioned pair of shafts meshing with the corresponding gears oii said axle shafts, a differential mechanism connecting said pair of shafts, and a propeller shaft operatively con-V nected to said differential mechanism for driving the same, said propeller shaft being supported to swing about the axis of said pair of shafts relative to said housings.

2. In a driving mechanism fora motor vehicle, in combination, a pair of aligned housings, a member connecting the adjacent ends of said housings, a gear rotatably supported between each of said housings andf said member, a wheel rotatably carried by the outer end of each of said housings, an axle shaftwithiii each of said housings detacliablyconnecting said wheels with the corresponding of said gears, said shafts be ing relatively widely spaced at their adja-A cent ends, a casing rotatably supported by' said member normally below said shafts, a1

pair of aligned shafts rotatably carried by said casing and each provided with a gear meshing with the gear on the correspondingnon-rotatably secured to the corresponding` of said Wheels, a gear on the inner end of each of @said farle shafts, fa fgea'r on each -of y 'centri-o with 'andfdrivingly "connected :tol said diiferential,-ajpihion 'carried by said eccentric'housing, means forl driving said pinion,

- aiid'means for supporting Asaid frame @from 'said pair of housi'igs)permitting'oscillation of said pair of 'housngsabout the'laxsfof saidlecceiitrichousing.

'4; InV combination iwithairi'otor'i-vhicle 'and *the frame whereof, la -vpair of "axially 1 spaced tubular' "housing members havingV i their yre- 'i'note l"ends rotatably: supported by relatively rotatable 'wh`eels, a housing eccentric to Ysaid housings rotatably mounted therebetween, a pair if rotatable' shafts *within s`a-id"ec'ce'ritiic 'housingra' diferential'conn'ecting sadfshats,

al reiativiy short axle staftirotatatie info-ach s securedito the corresponding ofsaid :whelsfa gea-r on 'the `fi`nner end of i each fof said axle said eccentric housing 4'against frot'a'tion, and "mear-is forfsupportiiig saidifrainerom said .pair .of housings permitting i'os'ciilation'of said pair of housings about the-Faxi'sofisaid yf'ec' cen-tr-'icI housing.

A 5.1 11n combinationwthafmotor veh'clearid 4the Viframe i thereof, a' pair 2 of axially spaced tubul'ar housing members I:htwng i their remeterendsirotatablyi supported by relatively rot altabfle' Wheels iai bridge rigidly connecting thel ace'iit ends ofsaid hous'ings,a Vhousing eccentric to said housings rotatably .mounted therebetween, apair! of rotatable shafts within said eccentric housing, a difieren'tial 1oonn'eetng said shafts; a relativelyf short shaft `ro- -tatablfein eachuof s'aidpair'of hou'sin vsfiand non-rotatably'secured to the corresponding 'of said wheels, a gear on the inner end'ofeach 'of said axleshafts, agearonteachof said pair of shafts in mesh with the corresponding gear on said axle shafts, a gear concentric with and drivingly connected to said differential, a pinion carried by said eccentric housing, means for driving said pinion, means for maintaining said eccentric housing against rotation, andmeans for supporting saidk frame from said pair of housings permitting oscillation of said pair of housings about the axis of said eccentric housing.

6. In combination with a motor vehicle and the frame thereof, -a pair of spaced wheels, a

pair of relatively short axially spaced tubular i housing members lrotatably carried between said wheels, a pair of relatively short axle shafts rotatably mounted in alignment in opposite ends of said housing and drivingly secured to the corresponding of said Wheels, a

casing rotatably mounted on and below said housing, shafting rotatably mounted in said casing in parallel and, `eccentric relation to said axle shafts, a driving connection between each of said axle shafts and said shafting, means for driving said shafting, load carrying springs secured to said frame, and means pivotally connecting said springs to said housing for rotation relative thereto about an axis aligned with the axis of said shafting.

7. In combination with a motor vehicle and the frame thereof, a pair of spaced wheels, a pair of relatively short axially spaced tubularhousing members rotatably carried between said wheels, a pair of relatively short axle shafts rotatably mounted in alignment in opposite ends of said housing and drivingly secured to the corresponding of said wheels, a casing rotatably mounted on and below said housing, shafting rotatably mounted in said casing in parallel and eccentric relation to said axle shafts, a drivingr connection between each of said axle shafts and said shafting, means for driving said shafting, including a propeller shaft and cooperating gear ing, said propeller shaft being maintained against swinging movement relative to said casing, load carrying springs secured to said frame, and means pivotally connecting said springs to said housing for rotationl relative thereto about an aXis aligned with the axis of said shafting. i o o Y 8. In a motor vehicle driven mechanism, a housing unitwheels rotatably mountedl on the ends of said unit, aligned axle shafts rotatably mounted within said unit and each connectedto one of said wheels, gears secured to the inner ends of said shafts, a housing ro- Y tatably supported by said housing unit ecv 40 centrically ofsaid shafts, a differential mech anism rotatably mounted in the last mentioned housing, aligned shaftsy in the last mentioned housing connected to said differentialV mechanism, and gears on the ends of the last mentioned shafts meshing with the first mentioned gears. v

l ALEXANDER YC; HAMILTON.

yso 

